Water heating and circulating means



June x10, y1941. J. E. BROWNING WATER HEATING- AND CIRCULATING MEANS Filed Feb. 14, `1940 2 Sheets-Shet l June 10, 1941 J. E. BROWNING WATER HEATING AND CIRCULATING MEANS FiledFeb.k 14, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 .fulfilling mi y Jmes E Brown/'ng WITNESS Patented June 10, 1941 UNETED S'TES Rath @FFME WATER HEATING AND CIRCULATING MEANS 5 Claims.

The invention relates tc a novel apparatus for heating water and circulating same, principally for heating purposes, the invention being intended primarily for use in heating butane tanks in cold weather to insure proper liberation of gas, as disclosed in my U. S. application, Serial No. 309,081, led December 13, 1939, although the invention is not restricted to this particular eld of use.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rather simple and inexpensive, yet an efficient apparatus by means of which a forced circulation of hot water is insured, without the necessity of providing any extraneous water pumping mechanism.

Another object is to provide an apparatus which will be entirely automatic, yet is of such simple construction that there is little likelihood ci any parts getting out of order.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View partly in elevation showing a form of construction for use where a city or domestic water system is available.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 but illustrating the valves in open position.

Figure 3 is a detail section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a different construction of simplied nature and adapted for use where no city or domestic water system is available.

Figure 6 is a detailed View as indicated by the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

In Figs. l to 4, I0 denotes a vertically elongated tank suitably mounted within and spaced from an outside shell II, said tank being horizontally partitioned at I2 into an upper chamber I3 and a lower chamber I4. A burner I5 has been shown under the chamber` I4 but other provision could of course be made for the same purpose. Products of combustion from the burner or the like ascend between the tank Ill and the shell II and escape through a suitable vent Iii. The burner may if desired be thermostatically controlled in any suitable way. Y

Both chambers I3 and I4 are intended to contain water, and the chamber I3 supplies the Cil Water to the lower chamber Ill as will hereinafter appear. In the present disclosure, a water line I'I leads to a float valve I8 in the chamber I 3 from a domestic or city water system to keep said chamber I3 iilled to a predetermined level. I-Iowever, I have shown a vent nipple I9 for this chamber I3 which may be used also as an emergency filling nipple should the water be cut off for any reason. A branch 2li is shown from the line I'I to a water-heating coil 2| within the chamber I4, and a hot water pipe 22 is shown extending from said coil, said pipe leading to any ber I4 is a hot water conducting line 23 to carry the Water heated in said chamber I4 to any suit- Iable heat exchanger 24 or to a number of heat exchangers. A water return line 25 leads from the heat exchanger or exchangers 24 to the upper chamber I3, and provision is made whereby a forced circulation of water through the lines and the heat Yexchanging means, is attained, as will hereinafter appear.

A water conducting passage 26 is formed through the partition I2 to permit the chamber I3 to supply water to the chamber I 4. An imperforate valve 2l is provided for the-passage 26, and a oat 23 in the chamber I4, is employed to cause openingV of the valve 21 only when the chamber I4 has been emptied of water to a predetermined extent, and to cause closing of said valve 2l only when the Water'level has risen in chamber i4 to a predetermined degree. In 0rder that the valve shall open and close when required under the influence of the float 28 without starting to move in one direction or the other as soon as said iloat starts, lost-motion connecting means are employed between the oat and valve, said lost-motion connecting means including a vertical neat-guiding rod 29 in the present disclosure, upon which rod the float 28 is vertically slidable. Whenever, upon lowering of the water level, the float reaches the lower end of the rod 2Q, it strikes a stop Si) on said rod and pulls the latter downwardly, and this rod movement aiiects opening of the valve 2l. Similarly, when the water level again rises and the iloat 28 ascends until it strikes the stop SI on the rod 29, it lifts said rod, and this rod lifting effects closing of the valve 2l. In Figures 1 to 3, the rod 29 is not directly connected with the valve 2l, and is loosely connected at 32 with the central portion of a bowed spring 33, which spring is loosely connected at Sli with the stein 35 secured to said valve 2. The bowed spring 33 is appropriately mounted in a suitable frame 36 to snap either upwardly or downwardly after it has been moved slightly past a neutral position, and it will be seen that the iloat 28 and rod 29 serve to move said spring to the position at which its snap-action will occur. When the spring 33 snaps upwardly, it closes the valve 21 and when said spring snaps downwardly, it opens said valve.

A vertical pipe 31 is shown leading from the upper portion of the chamber I3 to a passage 39 through the partition I2, said passage being closed normally by an imperforate valve 39 similar to the valve 21, the stem 40 of said valve 39 being loosely connected at 4I with the bowed spring 33. When the spring bows downwardly, it opens both valves 21 and 39, the latter serving to release the pressure in chamber I4. Water from chamber I3 enters the water-heating chamber I4 through the passage 26, and a check valve 23a (Fig. 4), may be employed to prevent backflow of water from the heat exchanger 24 through pipe 23 and into said chamber I4, if said heat exchanger be at a higher level than said chamber I4. As soon as the water level in the chamber I4 again rises to a predetermined extent, spring 33 is again snapped upwardly and this immediately closes both valves 21 and 39.

The hot water outlet from the chamber I4, leading the the line 23, is preferably formed from a pipe 42 curved into substantially circular shape as shown in Fig. 4 and having perforations 43 which admit the hot water. This prevents the formation of a whirlpool in the chamber I4 when the hot water is being discharged and thus prevents the hot water from entraining steam therewith from the upper portion of said chamber.

The part 48 is merely a nipple for connection with a pressure relief valve (not shown).

In operation, with the system filled with water to the extent dictated by the float valve I8, and both valves 21 and 39 huid-tightly closed, heating of the water in the lower chamber will expand this water and generate steam pressure in the upper end of said chamber. This pressure drives the hot water from the lower portion of the chamber through the line 23 and the heat exchanger 24 and from this heat exchanger, the water is driven through the line 25 into the upper chamber I3. When suiiicient hot water has been driven from the lower chamber to permit float 28 to downwardly shift the rod 29, the valves 21 and 39 are opened, whereupon the chamber I4 is relled with water from'- the chamber I3. The water encountering the steam in chamber I4 of course condenses the latter to quite an extent but a partial vacuum cannot be caused by the condensation, due to the open valve 39 and the pipe 31 with which it communicates. As the water level rises in the chamber I4, the iioat 23 rises and when this oat again pushes the rod 29 upwardly, closing of both valves 21 and 39 is caused, whereupon a new cycle will start.

In Figs. and 6 a more simple construction has been shown, and one which is adapted for use where no domestic or city water system is available. The upper chamber I3a is simply provided with a ller pipe |98. I2a denotes the tank partition between the chambers I3a and Illa; 23a refers to the hot water conducting line leading to a heat exchanger or the like 24a, and 25a denotes the hot water return line to said chamber I3@-. The partition I2a is provided with only one passage 26a which is controlled by a valve 21B, which valve is secured to a vertical stem or rod 29a upon which a float 28n is slidable. The rod 29a extends somewhat above the valve 21a through a guide sleeve 44 on a spider 49 which spans the passage 26a, the upper extremity of said rod being provided with a stop 46 which limits the downward movement of the rod and consequently the opening movement of the valve 21a. On the lower end of the rod 2!)a is a stop 30a, the oat 28aL being movable between this stop 3E]a and the valve 21a.

As the water is driven from the chamber I4a under the influence of the generated steam, with valve 21a fluid-tightly closed the float 28a descends. When this float strikes the stop 30H, it pulls downwardly upon the rod 29, thus opening the valve 21a land permitting the chamber I4a to rell from the chamber |33. When the water has risen in chamber ILIa to a predetermined level, float 28a pushes upwardly against valve 21a and closes this valve. Even when the float 281 descends away from the valve 21a, this valve will be held closed by the pressure in the chamber I4, until said iloat engages the stop 30a. In the form of construction first described (Figs. 1 to 4), the valves 21 and 3S are not only held closed by the pressure but by the spring 33.

The member shown at 41 is simply a pressure relief valve placed in communication with the chamber I4 or I4a by means of a nipple or the like 48.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention. While preferred features of construction has been illustrated, numerous variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

l. A water heater and circulator comprising a lower water chamber and means for heating the water therein, an upper water chamber, a passage through which said upper chamber supplies water to said lower chamber, valve means capable of entirely cutting off communication between said upper and lower chambers, said valve means including an imperiorate valve for said passage and a stem secured to said imperforate valve, a float in said lower chamber having a lost-motion connection with said valve stem for opening said valve means only when said lower chamber has been emptied of water to a predetermined extent and for fluid-tightly closing said valve means when said lower chamber has been filled to a predetermined level, a hot water outlet from the lower portion of said lower chamber, and a water return into said upper chamber, whereby upon generation of steam pressure in said lower chamber, the full pressure of the generated steam will act to drive the water through said water outlet of said lower chamber for return to said upper chamber through said water return.

2. A water heater and circulator comprising a lower water chamber and means for heating the water therein, an upper water chamber, a passage through which said upper chamber supplies water to said lower chamber, valve means capable of entirely cutting oiT communication between said upper and lower chambers, a float in said lower chamber, lost motion connecting means from said float to said valve means for opening said valve means only when said lower chamber has been emptied of water to a predetermined extent, and for closing said valve means when said lower chamber has been lled to a predetermined level, a hot water outlet from the lower portion of said lower chamber, and a water return into said upper chamber, whereby upon generation of steam pressure in said lower chamber, the water therefrom Will be driven through said outlet for return to said upper chamber through said water return; said hot water outlet including a substantially circular pipe in said lower chamber having water admission perforatons, preventing the outgoing hot water from whirling and entraining steam from the upper portion of said lower chamber.

3. A water heater and circulator comprising a lower water chamber and means for heating the water therein, an upper water chamber, a passage through which said upper chamber supplies water to said lower chamber, a valve for said passage, a pipe positioned to establish communication between the upper ends of the two chambers, a second valve for said pipe, a float in said lower chamber, lost-motion connecting means from said float to said valves for opening said valves only when said lower chamber has been emptied of water to a predetermined extent, land for closing said valves only when said lower chamber has been lled to a predetermined level, a hot water outlet from the lower portion of said lower chamber, and a water return into said upper chamber.

4. A water heater and circulator comprising a lower water chamber and means for heating the water therein, an upper water chamber, a hot water outlet from the lower portion of said lower chamber, a water return into said upper chamber, a water passage from said upper chamber to said lower chamber and opening through the top of the latter, a pipe for placing the upper ends of the two chambers in communication with each other and opening through the top of said lower chamber, two upwardly closable valves for said passage and pipe respectively, said valves having stems projecting downwardly into said lower chamber, a bowed spring transverse to said stems, means mounting said spring to` snap either upwardly or downwardly when moved slightly past a neutral position, loose connections between said spring and said stems, a float guide suspended from the central portion of said'bowed spring, and a float slidable on. said float guide for moving said spring either upwardly or downwardly slightly past said neutral position.

5. A water heater and circulator comprising a lower water chamber and means for heating the water therein, an upper water chamber, a passage through which said upper chamber supplies water to said lower chamber, valve means capable of entirely cutting off communication between said upper and lower chambers, a float in said lower chamber, lost motion connecting means from said float to said valve means for opening said valve means only when said lower chamber has been emptied of water to a prede-t termined extent, and for closing said valve means when said lower chamber has been lled to a predetermined level, a hot water outlet from the lower portion of said lower chamber, and a water return into said upper chamber, whereby upon generation of steam pressure in said lower chamber, the water therefrom will be driven through said outlet for return to said upper chamber through said water return; together with a pressure releasing pipe for said lower chamber extending from said lower chamber to said upper chamber, a valve for this pipe, and lost-motion connecting means between said float and the last named valve for opening and closing the latter about simultaneously with opening and closing of the rst named valve.

JAMES E. BROWNING. 

